Coupling attachment device

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is provided for fastening a fitting to the end of a hose having a ball nut and ball screw carrying a pusher means for pressing a fitting and hose assembly into a swaging die, the pusher means comprising a bearing which transfers the force of the rotating screw to the non-rotating pusher means.

States Patent 1191 Whitlledge et al.

COUPLING ATTACHMENT DEVICE Inventors: Jon K. Whitledge, Mantua; EdwardM. Kavick, Chardon, both of Ohio Assignee: Samuel Moore & Company,

Mantua, Ohio Filed: Jan. 7, 1972 Appl. No.1 216,093

U.S. Cl. 29/237, 29/263 1111. c1 823p 19/02 Field of Search 29/237, 251,256,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/l9l6 Lennon 29/283 Jan. 15,1974 3,048,212 8/1962 Morrison ..29/237 3,028,987 4/1962 Hecke ..'/2/454FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 21,049 8/1915 Great Britain ..29/237Primary Examiner-James L. Jones, Jr. Assistant ExaminerJ. C. PetersAttorney-Clelle W. Upchurch [5 7 ABSTRACT An apparatus is provided forfastening a fitting to the end of a hose having a ball nut and ballscrew carrying a pusher means for pressing a fitting and hose assemblyinto a swaging die, the pusher means comprising a bearing whichtransfers the force of the rotating screw to the non-rotating pushermeans.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEU JAN 5 i974 sum 1 BF 2 PMENTEWAW 1SIM SHEU 2 BF 2 FIG-4 l COUPLING ATTACHMENT DEVICE This inventionrelates generally to a device for swaging a fitting over the end of atube or hose and more particularly to.a manually actuated-portable hosecoupling apparatus.

An apparatus for securing a fitting to a hose is disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 3,048,212. Such an apparatus has been found to be advantageous forswaging a metallic coupler or similar fitting on the end of a hose butit has the disadvantage that it must be mounted on a bench or the likeand is too heavy and bulky to be easily transported from place to place.

It is an object of this invention to provide a portable hand hosecoupling apparatus. Another object of the invention is to provide amanually operated coupling device which is adapted to be moved easilyfrom place to place or to be secured to a bench. A more specific objectof the invention is to provide a hand actuated swaging device which issmall enough to be held by an operator while being used and to becarried from place to place with a minimum of effort.

Other objects will become apparent from the following description withreference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation, partially in section, of one embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view ofa die base and support for the apparatusprovided by the invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation, partially in section, ofone embodiment of a pusher and swaging die assembly of the apparatus.

The foregoing objects and others are accomplished in accordance withthis invention, generally speaking, by providing a swaging device havinga supported ball screw and ball nut assembly, a swaging die, a means onone end of the screw for pressing a hose and fitting into the swagingdie to secure them together when the ball screwis rotated, and a meansfor rotating the ball screw in the ball nut. The means for pressing ahose and fitting into the swaging die includes a pusher holderrigidlysecured to the screw. The pusher holder is adapted to receive apusher element which holds a fitting and hose together and presses theminto a swaging die as the screw is rotated to rigidly secure the twotogether. The pusher element is supported in a cavity of the holder by athrust bearing which rotates with the screw. The roller bearings of thethrust bearing rotate about their axis as the screw rotates and impartthrust to the pusher without the pusher being rotated with the screw.Hence, the fitting and hose assembly are pressed into the swaging die asthe screw moves towards the die without rotation of the assembly. Thethrust bearing has a circular race enclosing spaced roller bearings andis press fit or otherwise secured in the cavity of the pusher holder. Aball screw and ball nut are used to eliminate the friction normallyassociated with a conventional nut and screw arrangement and to therebyminimize the forces required for turning the screw for swaging. The ballscrew is provided with a helical rounded thread which mates with ahelical rounded internal thread in the ball but to form a bearing race.Ball bearings lie in the passageway formed by the mating threads andmove with the ball screw as it turns and moves longitudinally withrespect to the swaging die. A

passageway for balls moving from one end of the bearing race extends tothe opposite end of the race so that the balls move continuously throughthe passageway as the screw is rotated.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, spacedbars 10 and 10a are welded or otherwise rigidly secured to plate 11 andto base 12. Bracket 13 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to member10. A hole 14 may be drilled in bracket 13 to be used as a rope liftingeye.

A ball nut 15 is secured against rotation and end thrust to plate 11 andhas a bore 16 therethrough aligned with a bore 13 in plate 11. Ballscrew 18 extends above ball nut 15, through the bores 16 and 17. Apusher holder 19 is press fit on the lower end and a hexagonal nut 20 isfixed near the upper end of ball screw 18. Crank handle 21 may beinserted in opening 22 in screw 18 to turn ball screw 18 and move pusherholder 19 longitudinally with respect to die base 12.

As illustrated best in FIG. 4, thrust bearing 23 is press fit in thelower portion of cavity 24 of pusher holder 19. Upper race 47 and lowerrace 25 of thrust bearing 23 enclose circumferentially spaced rollerbearings 26 and spacer elements therebetween. A pusher 28 has an annulargroove 33 in its outer surface and a cavity 29 in its base adapted toreceive a fitting and hose assembly. The cross-section of pusher 28above and below groove 30 is slightly less than the cross-section ofcavity 24 so holder 19 will not turn pusher 28 as it is rotated by screw18. Screw 30 extends into groove 33 and prevents pusher 28 from movinglongitudinally. The upper race 47 of thrust bearing 23 is rotated withpusher holder 19. Lower race 25 engages the shoulder of pusher 28 andboth the lower race 25 and pusher 28 are free to rotate with the pusherholder 19 until friction between the fitting and die stops the rotationthereof. Less force is required to turn the screw during swaging becauseof use of the thrust bearing.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 die base 12 has a substantiallyfrusto-conically shaped bore 31 therethrough. Die 32 is splitlongitudinally into two equal segments. The'assembled segments have afrusto-conical shape which matches that of bore 31. The assembledsegments are adapted to fit snugly in bore 31. Substantially L-shapeddie clamp members 36 and 37 are bolted or otherwise pivotally securednear the tops thereof to members 10 and 10a. The vertical parts ofclamps 36 and 37 extend longitudinally alongside members 10 and 10a andare welded or otherwise rigidly secured to arms which extend outwardlyat an acute angle therewith. That edge of each of clamps 36 and 37facing base 12 has an arcuate shape to adapt it for pressing thesegments of die member 32 in bore 31.

Leverage arm 38 may be pivotally secured at one end to one end ofsupport member 10a.

The helical threads of screw 18 have a rounded base while the bore ofnut 15 has helical rounded internal threads of the same pitch as thethreads of the screw. The matching threads provide a helical bearingrace or passageway of circular cross-section for balls 41. A transferpassage 42 secured to the wall of nut 15 provides means for ballsleaving the helical passageway ending at one end of nut 15 to bereturned to the helical passageway beginning at the opposite end of nut15.

In operation, bracket 13 may be secured in a suitable vise to supportthe swaging machine with its longitudinal axis in a substantiallyhorizontal plane. A slit die 32 having a die cavity of suitabledimensions is placed in bore 31 in die base 12. Clamps 36 and 37 arepushed towards die base 12 until they press against die members 32 andsecure them in bore 31. A pusher element 28 having a cavity 29 adaptedtohold the fitting to be swaged on a hose is inserted through thrustbearing 23 and set screw 30 is rotated until it extends into groove 33.The dimensions of pusher 28 and the depth of penetration of set screw 30are such that pusher 28 is not secured in holder 19 for rotation withscrew 18. A hose 46 with a fitting 45 on one end is inserted through theopening in die 32 and inserted in the cavity 29 of pusher 28. Crankhandle 21 is turned. Screw 18 rotates in nut and pusher holder 19 isrotated therewith as it moves towards die 32. The force of the rotatingscrew 18 is transferred to the non-rotating pusher through thrustbearing 23. Fitting 45 is forced into the cavity in die 32 and swagedabout the end of hose 46. The direction of rotation of crank 21 isreversed to move pusher 19 away from die 32. Clamps 36 and 37 are movedaway from die 32 and the die and swaged fitting may be removed from thebore 31 in base 12. The segments of die 32 separate to release theswaged fitting.

lf :1 vise is not available, the swaging machine may be held by leveragehandle 38 to prevent rotation as screw 18 is turned. The base 12 may beplaced on the floor or on a table top in such an operation or one mancan hold the frame and leverage arm while the other rotates the crankhandle.

Bracket 12a may be welded to the bottom of base 12 as illustrated inFIG. 3 to replace bracket 13, if desired. Bracket 12a may be bolted to abench top to hold the swaging machine in an upright position with thebore disposed beyond the edge of the bench.

Any suitable means may be provided for turning the screw in the ballnut. For example, a conventional socket and ratchet may be substitutedfor the crank 21 shown in the drawing.

The size of the apparatus need not be great to provide the torquerequired to swage a fitting on a hose. For example, a one-inch diameterball screw about seven and one-half inches long may be supported on asuitable frame of the type illustrated in the drawing to provide anoverall length of the apparatus of less than 15 inches when the pusheris resting on the swaging die. Such an apparatus is relatively light inweight and adapted to be moved from place to place.

Suitable ball screw and ball nut assemblies are available commercially.Any suitable one of these may be used. One of the type disclosed in US.Pat. No. 2,836,075 or a similar assembly may be used, if desired.

Any suitable thrust bearing may be used. One which has been used toadvantage is a Type TTSP, Number T-77 Tinken Bearing.

Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose ofillustration, it is to be understood that such detail issolely for thatpurpose and that variations may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except asit may be limited by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for securing a fitting to a hose which comprises a ballscrew and ball nut assembly, a swaging die having a die cavity adjacentone end of the screw with the cavity aligned with the screw, means forsupporting said ball nut and said die against relative longitudinalmovement and against rotation with the screw comprising laterally spacedlongitudinally extending bars, a crossbar spanning and rigidly securedto the ball nut and to the spaced bars, a die base longitudinally spacedfrom the cross bar and spanning said spaced bars and rigidly securedthereto, means in the die base to support the swaging die, means carriedby said end of the screw for pressing a fitting and hose assembly insaid die cavity comprising a holder element secured to the said screwend for rotation therewith and having a cavity therein, a pusher elementhaving one end in the cavity of the holder element and an opposite endadapted to support a fitting and hose assembly as it is moved towardsthe die cavity, means for securing the pusher element in the cavity ofthe holder element against rotation with the screw and againstsubstantial longitudinal movement relative to the screw comprising athrust bearing in the cavity of the holder element and about the saidpusher, and means for turning the screw in the nut.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a clamp pivotally mounted on eachof the spaced bars and adapted to press the die in the die base cavity.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said supporting means carries abracket for securing the apparatus in a stationery position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the swaging die is splitlongitudinally into a plurality of segments.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein one of said spaced bars carries aleverage arm pivotally secured near one end to the bar for securing thesupporting means against movement as the screw is turned.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein that portion of the pusher elementadapted to be disposed in the cavity in the holder element has anannular external groove, said holder element carries a set screw adaptedto extend into the groove and said thrust bearing has circumferentiallyspaced roller bearings which transmit axially force to the pusher as thescrew turns.

1. An apparatus for securing a fitting to a hose which comprises a ballscrew and ball nut assembly, a swaging die having a die cavity adjacentone end of the screw with the cavity aligned with the screw, means forsupporting said ball nut and said die against relative longitudinalmovement and against rotation with the screw comprising laterally spacedlongitudinally extending bars, a cross bar spanning and rigidly securedto the ball nut and to the spaced bars, a die base longitudinally spacedfrom the cross bar and spanning said spaced bars and rigidly securedthereto, means in the die base to support the swaging die, means carriedby said end of the screw for pressing a fitting and hose assembly insaid die cavity comprising a holder element secured to the said screwend for rotation therewith and having a cavity therein, a pusher elementhaving one end in the cavity of the holder element and an opposite endadapted to support a fitting and hose assembly as it is moved towardsthe die cavity, means for securing the pusher element in the cavity ofthe holder element against rotation With the screw and againstsubstantial longitudinal movement relative to the screw comprising athrust bearing in the cavity of the holder element and about the saidpusher, and means for turning the screw in the nut.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1 comprising a clamp pivotally mounted on each of the spaced barsand adapted to press the die in the die base cavity.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein said supporting means carries a bracket for securing theapparatus in a stationery position.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe swaging die is split longitudinally into a plurality of segments. 5.The apparatus of claim 4 wherein one of said spaced bars carries aleverage arm pivotally secured near one end to the bar for securing thesupporting means against movement as the screw is turned.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein that portion of the pusher element adaptedto be disposed in the cavity in the holder element has an annularexternal groove, said holder element carries a set screw adapted toextend into the groove and said thrust bearing has circumferentiallyspaced roller bearings which transmit axially force to the pusher as thescrew turns.